The disclosure of the following priority application is herein incorporated by reference:
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-146584 filed May 21, 2002
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens barrel provided with a tripod mount.
2. Description of the Related Art
A long focal length lens barrel is commonly provided with a tripod mount for fixing the lens barrel to a tripod. An operator fixes the lens barrel to the tripod via the tripod mount and stabilizes the lens barrel and camera body to perform photography.
There are also cases where the operator takes a photograph holding the lens barrel and the camera body in his/her hands without using the tripod. However, in these cases, the protrusion of the tripod mount and the weight of the tripod mount adversely affect operability of the lens barrel when performing e.g., zooming.
The present invention is to provide a lens barrel fitted with a tripod mount and having a high operability.
A lens barrel according to the present invention comprises a lens barrel body having a photographic optical system; a first mount unit that is fitted to the lens barrel body; and a second mount unit having a fixing unit for fixing the lens barrel body to a stand, that is detachably fitted to the first mount unit by being slid along a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the photographic optical system.
It is preferable that the first mount unit comprises a projecting portion, an end of which widens as projecting from the lens barrel body and, the second mount unit comprises a groove that corresponds to the projecting portion.
It is also preferable that the first mount unit includes a substantially annular ring portion that is rotatable with respect to the lens barrel body and is fitted around the lens barrel body as a unit, and a rotation-controlling portion that regulates rotation between the lens barrel body and the ring portion. It desirable that the projecting portion and the groove are a dovetail and a dovetail groove, respectively. The projecting portion may be formed as part of a substantial cone.
It is preferable to further comprise a slit portion that alters an amount of gap appearing when the first mount unit and the second mount unit are fitted together; and a fixing screw that alters a width of the slit portion to alter the amount of gap, and fixes/releases the first mount unit and the second mount unit. A dropout prevention member may also be comprised that keeps an engaged state between the first mount unit and the second mount unit when the fixing screw is loose. It is preferable that the dropout prevention member is disposed at the second mount unit, the dropout prevention member having a protruding portion and being urged by force of a spring towards the first mount unit to engage the protruding portion with a hole portion formed in the first mount unit when the first mount unit and the second mount unit are fitted together.
The hole portion formed in the first mount unit may be used as a threaded hole for fixing the lens barrel body to the stand when the second mount unit is not mounted to the first mount unit. It is possible that the dropout prevention member further includes an engagement release portion, and that the dropout prevention member causes the protruding portion to move straight against the force of the spring to release engagement between the protruding portion and the hole portion when the engagement release portion is operated. It is also acceptable that the dropout prevention member causes the protruding portion to swing against the force of the spring to release engagement between the protruding portion and the hole portion when the engagement release portion is operated.